Puck Stop

How AAG supported Sheffield sports retailer with their IT.

“AAG has given us peace of mind, we know our IT just works. The team is proactive, responsive, and genuinely cares about our success.”

Puck Stop spokesperson

When Sheffield-based hockey retailer Puck Stop needed a trusted IT partner to modernise their systems and strengthen security, they turned to AAG. In the 3 months since the partnership began, Puck Stop has become more efficient, secure and informed of how their technology supports their business goals.

Puck Stop is the UK’s leading hockey retailer, serving thousands of customers from its Sheffield base and through a growing eCommerce platform. With busy retail operations and peak trading periods, technology underpins every part of the business, from stock control to online sales.

What the retailer was suffering with before AAG:

Before partnering with AAG, Puck Stop faced mounting IT challenges:

Fragmented systems: Operating on Google Workspace with no centralised collaboration tools.
Security gaps: Growing concerns around phishing, password hygiene, and data protection.
No clear roadmap: IT decisions were reactive, with no long-term strategy.
Downtime during peak periods was a real risk, and the leadership team wanted confidence that their IT could support growth.

Why AAG?

Puck Stop needed more than a helpdesk. They wanted:

Proactive support: not just fixing issues, but preventing them.
Security-first approach: to protect sensitive data and meet insurer requirements.
Local presence: a Sheffield-based partner who could respond quickly on-site.
AAG’s reputation for Managed IT Support in Sheffield, combined with our Secure Bundle, made us the perfect fit.

The solution to the retail problems:

From day one, AAG took ownership of Puck Stop’s IT environment. We implemented a fully managed support service, backed by a proactive technology roadmap. Alongside this, we delivered a series of strategic projects:

1. SharePoint Migration (Google Workspace → Microsoft 365)

Migrated all data and mailboxes to Microsoft 365.
Built a modern SharePoint structure for easy collaboration.
Delivered user training to drive adoption.

2. Advanced Microsoft 365 Security

Security was a top priority. We implemented a comprehensive hardening programme across Microsoft 365, containing more than 20 implementations designed to close gaps and protect against modern threats. Key measures included:

Identity & Access Protection: Multi-Factor Authentication for all admin accounts, Conditional Access policies, and blocking risky sign-ins.
Email & Phishing Defence: Advanced anti-phishing and anti-spam policies, Safe Links and Safe Attachments scanning, and external email tagging to alert users.
Data Loss & Compliance: Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to prevent sensitive data leaving the organisation, email encryption, and DKIM/DMARC for email authenticity.
Threat Surface Reduction: Disabled unnecessary Microsoft 365 services, blocked executable file types, and restricted guest access.
Monitoring & Reporting: Enabled mailbox and admin auditing, real-time security reports, and ORCA security score remediation.

These changes, and the migration, meant Puck Stop’s Microsoft Secure Score achieved a solid 79% and reduced the risk of account compromise, ransomware, and data breaches.

3. Secure Bundle Rollout

Our Security Bundles give you confidence in your cyber security strategy, without having to navigate multiple products and services.

Taking a more holistic approach to cyber security ensures that all aspects of your business are better protected from threats, simplifies invoices and subscriptions and saves you time and money.

Password Manager to provide an encrypted and secure vault for every user.
Cloud Backup for Microsoft 365 data and rapid recovery.
Security Awareness Training for a complete library of security training content.
Endpoint Protection with AI-driven 24/7 threat monitoring.
Email Signatures for brand consistency and compliance.

The result of AAG’s support:

The results speak for themselves:

Microsoft Secure Score: Implemented at 79%.
Collaboration Adoption: Utilising SharePoint increased efficiency and ease of collaboration.
Clear IT ROI: Transparency over their budget allows Puck Stop to see how their IT budget is delivering ROI.
User experience: Faster, more secure collaboration across the business.

Group of four team members standing inside a retail store with hockey skates and equipment displayed on the wall behind them, representing Puckstop and the retail IT support in Sheffield provided by AAG IT Services.

With a solid foundation in place, Puck Stop and AAG are already planning the next steps in their technology roadmap. For Sheffield businesses looking to strengthen their IT, this partnership shows what’s possible.